we want to stop the spending problem so we can then go about trying to manage down the debt and deficit. >> nbc's first read made this point. the white house is sending the message that if republicans want entitlement reform, they're the ones who will have to propose it. how much of this is about getting the gop to do some of the dirty work on a sticky issue for democrats? >> i think that is a very big part of it. look, nobody -- we just went through a campaign in which medicare, the ryan budget, and changes to medicare and cuts out of medicare were such a huge issue, both sides claiming that they wanted to protect seniors. but, look, i think the democrats believe that they have an opportunity, they have leverage on the tax issue, that they don't want to talk about these entitlement changes until the republicans agree to increase the tax rate on the top 2%. because after all, there was a bill that passed out of the senate and they believe that at the end of the day, if that bill is still on the plate, on the republicans' plate in the house, they'll have to pass it staring down the fisca